


In This City That We Saw

by A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater



Series: The Places We've Been [2]
Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Blood, Fluff, Gen, basically a laurent and damen and auguste friendship fic, it's not graphic though, mentions of Nikandros - Freeform, minor injury, young!Auguste, young!Damen, young!Laurent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 11:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7842511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater/pseuds/A_Tsundere_In_A_Sweater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was early morning in the city of Ios, and the streets were already bustling with activity. Vendors called out prices and lofty claims, attempting to draw in customers and sell their wares. </p><p>“Over there,” the small boy said, gesturing to a stand on their right. “We're going to go look at that one,” he explained, leaving no room for questions. </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Day Two of Captive Prince Week: Scars</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	In This City That We Saw

**Author's Note:**

> Here's Day Two! I may come back and add more to this later, but I really wanted to have this up in time! This is basically Laurent and Damen fluff, and then Laurent and Damen and Auguste fluff. This is written in the same universe as yesterday's prompt, in case anyone was wondering. In this universe, Laurent and Auguste visit Damen often, and vice versa.

It was early morning in the city of Ios, and the streets were already bustling with activity. The weather was cool, leading most people to complete their shopping early, and return indoors when the temperatures rose. Vendors called out prices and lofty claims, attempting to draw in customers and sell their wares.

“Just five silver pieces for this chiton, made of the finest silk cloth in Ios!” a man called out, holding the garment out in front of him, and two women quickly hurried over, money already in their hands.

“Come and get your fresh apples, just picked this morning!” a woman yelled, trying to attract a group of young girls walking by.

Children ran through the narrow streets with dogs chasing at their heels, their raucous cries and barks adding to the overall noise of the city. Cats lounged on rooftops, looking down at the market scene with disinterest. Women leaned out of windows, stringing their laundry on drying lines, and chatting pleasantly with their neighbors and exchanging the latest gossip. On the docks, fisherman returned with their hauls, and quickly set up their stands, eager to sell more than they had the day before.

There were people and animals everywhere, making it easy to overlook two cloaked figures with joined hands. They weaved in and out of people, stopping occasionally at an interesting vendor and admiring what was for sale. To someone who was not paying attention, the two merely looked like an Akielon teenage boy and a much smaller foreigner. However, looks could be deceiving. The smaller of two, face hidden under the hood of a light blue cloak, grabbed onto the arm of the taller figure, whose identity was kept secret with a red hood and cloak. The taller boy looked down, a questioning expression on his face.

“Over there,” the small boy said, gesturing to a stand on their right. “We're going to go look at that one,” he explained, leaving no room for questions. His eyes were bright and excited, drinking in the foreign sights of the Akielon market.

The two made their way over to the vendor without being separated, courtesy of their joined hands. Damen had long ago learned that it was easy for two people to become separated from each other in the crowded streets, and he made sure that he never let go of Laurent's hand.

The stand was filled with maps, scrolls, and books, and Damen could definitely understand Laurent's fascination. Laurent had always loved books and knowledge, and had read hundreds of the book in the palace library back home in Arles. Unsurprisingly, he had already struck up a conversation with the man running the stall.

“Do you have anything in Patran?” he asked, inquisitive blue eyes looking expectantly at the man.

The man - Aesop, if the sign hanging from his stall reading ' _Aesop's Fables and Other Works_ ' meant anything - thought for a moment before his eyes lit up, and his face broke into a smile.

“Indeed I do!” he proclaimed, and quickly turned to search the shelves behind him, a finger running over the spine of each book until he found the one that he was looking for.

“Ah, here you are,” he said, holding out an old looking book bound in green leather. “It's titled, _The Fables_. It contains a collection of tales which discuss morals. It's not very popular yet, though perhaps one day, people will see its true value,” he explained, handing the book to Laurent.

Laurent took it reverently and handled it gently, as he did all books. Damen was always amazed by how gentle the eleven year old could be, seeing as he possessed the sharpest tongue that Damen knew of. Laurent's fingers traced lightly over the cover, and he held the book close to him with a soft smile.

Damen smiled as well, and turned to Aesop, who had busied himself with straightening up the scrolls sitting on a small table. Damen cleared his throat respectfully, drawing the man's attention.

“How much for book, sir?” he asked, gesturing to the work held tightly to Laurent's chest.

Aesop smiled, and replied, “Ah, that old thing? I'll give that to him for free. There aren't many who search out a book in Patran these days,” He turned to Laurent, and addressed him. “In return, I merely ask that you read all that is written. Think about what you read, and do not forget the lessons that you learn,” he instructed, his tone serious.

Laurent nodded, a determined look on his face. At this, Aesop smiled, and told them to come back anytime, if they ever found themselves in need of something else to read. Damen and Laurent thanked him, and continued making their way down the crowded streets.

They stopped a few times more, browsing stalls that boasted scented woods or fine pottery and buying fruits to eat as they walked. Peaches in hand, they worked their way through a large portion of the vendors. As they hours drug on, more and more people sought shelter inside, and the streets became easily navigable. About an hour to noon, they found themselves down by the docks, watching the gulls fly around lazily.

The temperature had begun to rise, and the boys soon found themselves shedding their cloaks. Damen was hesitant to do so, but the alternative was possibly suffering from heatstroke. Although it was fall in Akielos, the weather was still considerably warmer than what Laurent was used to in Vere, and he didn't want the young prince to feel sick. Laurent's face was a bit flushed, though he seemed fine otherwise.

They decided to head back to the palace after noting that they had been gone for quite a few hours. The guards were no doubt looking for them, and the last thing they needed was to be caught in the city unaccompanied. They had snuck out that morning through the secret passages in the palace that Damen knew so well after sixteen years of living there, and had experienced no trouble reaching the market at all.

As the two boys made their way back, they received a few curious looks from citizens who's eyes were drawn in by Laurent's hair color. Golden hair was in no way an Akielon feature, and it immediately marked him as a foreigner. However, Laurent's glare had people looking away quickly and leaving them be.

Damen had suggested they travel back to the palace through alleys, as not to be seen by any soldiers who might be looking for them. They traveled quickly through the back streets, making good time back to the palace. If all went well, they would be back before lunch.

Looking back, Damen figured those were probably the words that fate had heard, and being as fate was, had decided to change. Not even three minutes later Laurent stumbled, and fell the ground, letting out a groan of pain. Damen was at his side instantly, helping him sit up, asking what had happened and if he was alright. He looked around and saw that Laurent had tripped over what might have been a small pot, though it was now just broken shards of pottery.

Laurent's eyes were glistening with unshed tears, quickly bringing out the protective side in Damen.

“What hurts?” he asked while running his eyes up and down Laurent, checking for injuries.

Laurent's voice was slightly strained as he replied, “My shin. The left one.”

Damen immediately examined it, finding that the fabric on Laurent's left shin was torn and bloody. After a quick examination, he was relieved to learn that it was just a cut, and not an extremely deep one at that.

“Nothing seems to be broken,” he told Laurent while looking him in the eye.

Laurent nodded, biting his lip to keep himself from crying. Damen moved to grab Laurent's hand, and began rubbing small circles into his palm, something that he had learned calmed Laurent down, and helped him relax.

Damen's heart ached when seeing Laurent in pain, and he realized that it was his fault that this had happened. If he hadn't suggested that they sneak into the city, Laurent would never have fallen and hurt himself. He quickly pushed these thoughts away, seeing as he didn't have time for them at the moment while his friend was bleeding. He tore off a strip of his cloak and carefully wrapped it around Laurent's injury, stopping the blood flow. As a prince who might one day go to battle, he had been taught how to take care of most simple wounds, especially ones that he might face while on the battlefield.

“It will probably scar, but we need to return to the palace quickly so that we can apply ice, and hopefully reduce any swelling that might occur,” he explained, looking down to see that the skin around the cut already seemed to be slightly puffier than normal.

Laurent listened attentively, and nodded every once in while. Wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, he re-assumed his princely attitude. As Damen helped him stand, he realized that putting any pressure on his injured leg hurt.

“I doubt that I will be able to walk like this. Carry me,” he told his friend, holding his arms out in front of him, expecting Damen to pick him up. He was _not_ expecting Damen to grin, and pick him up as if he were a bride, with one arm braced under his back, and the other under his knees.

“Unhand me!” he insisted, glaring at Damen. He had no intention of being carried around in such an undignified way.

Damen merely smiled, and said, “Absolutely not. This puts the smallest amount of pressure on your wound.”

“Surely there is a better way,” Laurent argued, his arms crossed in a pout.

“There isn't,” Damen insisted. “Now why don't you read me your new book?” he suggested, attempting to placate the small prince.

“Are you even capable of understanding Patran?” Laurent asked, raising an eyebrow delicately. There was a mocking tone to Laurent's voice that Damen picked up on, but elected to ignore.

“Of course I am. Patras and Akielos share a much larger border than Patras and Vere after all. What do you take me for?” Damen laughed, and began walking towards the secret entrance to the palace with Laurent in his arms.

“A barbarian. I thought that much was obvious,” Laurent quipped coolly, though Damen could see the small smile on his face. As long as Laurent was distracted from any pain he might be in, than that was enough for him, even if it came at the expense of his intelligence being insulted, as most things that pleased Laurent did.

“Laurent, read.”

And so he did, until he fell asleep in Damen's arms.

 

******

 

Upon their return, Damen quickly called for Auguste. Not two minutes later, the distressed Veretian prince came bursting through the doors to Laurent's chambers, immediately demanding to know where the two had been. When he saw his brother lying in bed, with a bandage on his leg, all anger was forgotten, and was instantly replaced by worry.

“What happened?! Is he alright?” Auguste immediately asked, turning to Damen, who was sitting by Laurent's bedside.

“He's alright, but please speak quietly. I don't want you to disturb him,” Damen replied, putting a finger to his lips.

Auguste nodded, his voice quieter as he asked, “Why is he sleeping? Is he unconscious?”

“No, he just fell asleep on the way back.”

“Back? Back from where? Where have the two of you been? The palace has been searching high and low for you,” Auguste told him, coming to sit on the other side of Laurent's bed.

Damen sighed before explaining.

“We went into town this morning. Laurent wanted to see the marketplace without being looked upon as a prince. He wanted to see what things were like when nobody was treating him as royalty. We were on our way back when he tripped and fell over a pot. The pot broke, and one of the pieces cut him. It will probably scar, and it's painful for him to put pressure on it, but I've already sent for ice. It should heal quickly,” he explained, giving a shortened version of all that had happened.

Auguste nodded, unhappy that his brother was hurt, but pleased that Damen had been there to take care of him. Just as he was about to thank Damen, the Akielon prince spoke.

“I'm so sorry,” Damen apologized, bowing his head. “I shouldn't have taken Laurent out, and it is because of me that he is injured. I'm so sorry.”

Auguste sighed, and walked over to Damen, and clapped a hand on his shoulder, causing Damen to look up curiously at him.

“All is forgiven. I am glad that you were with him, as you were able to care for him. However, I ask that next time you don't sneak out without me,” he stated, “I would have liked to see the marketplace as well, you know?” he finished, a mischievous grin on his face.

Damen laughed and nodded, promising that Auguste would be included in any future escapades. He then moved to the door to ask that the three boys' lunches be brought to Laurent's room. As he was about to open the door, he stopped, turning back to Auguste.

“We can't tell our fathers about this. All we need is the king of Vere blaming the Akielon royal family for not keeping a close eye on one of his sons, and then my father decides to argue back. We'd probably go to war over something trivial that in the end, doesn't involve Laurent at all,” he explained seriously, making sure that Auguste understood.

“Yes, of course. Personally, I don't feel like fighting anytime soon. A war would be quite bothersome. Neither Laurent and I will tell anyone. However, you had better think of an explanation as to why the two of you were unable to be found this morning. Poor Nikandros was nearly in tears. Though...don't tell him I told you that,” Auguste replied, laughing lightly.

 

******

 

Laurent was confined to bed for the rest of the day, and was thoroughly unamused. Though he did fine a bright spot in all of it. He had the full attention of both Auguste and Damen. He and Damen told Auguste all about what they had seen in the city, while he and Auguste told Damen about all that he was missing in Vere. The room was filled with laughter and high spirits the entire time, and in the evening, Laurent read _The Fables_ to Auguste and Damen until the three of them fell asleep.

The scar would stay with Laurent forever, though he found that he didn't mind, if it meant that he would always remember this day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this, and I really hope that you enjoyed it :) Tomorrow we'll see how this friendship between the three princes came to be! Feel free to leave comment about things I could do better, or things you liked, or even things that you'd like to see! I plan on this being more than seven entries long, as there is just so much to talk about in this AU! It's quite exciting! 
> 
> My Tumblr: [camels-on-wheels](http://camels-on-wheels.tumblr.com/)


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